You don’t have to suffer in order to experience a great cardiovascular workout. Instead, improve muscle and cardiovascular strength while doing low-impact cardio workouts. Not only are they easier on the body, but they are also more accessible than box jumps and burpees. Make no mistake: low-impact does not mean low-intensity. Low-impact workouts can be just as effective as elevating your heart rate as a HIIT workout.
A lot of people, especially those who are regularly active, use low-impact workouts to warm up. But if engaging in low-impact cardio exercise is how you get active, there is nothing wrong with that. In fact, you’ll be able to reap some impressive health benefits. Studies show that an increase in activity can help reduce the risk of heart disease, certain cancers, and type 2 diabetes.
Another benefit of low-impact cardio is that you can reduce your risk of injury. High-impact moves, like running or jumping, means that your bones absorb a lot of force each time you land. With low-impact workouts, you ultimately reduce the amount of shock your joints take. Continue reading to learn about great low-impact maneuvers to incorporate into your workouts.
Sumo Squat Touch-Down To Heel Raise
This exercise works to strengthen your adductor muscles, abductor muscles, hamstrings, glutes, and calves. Begin standing straight up with your feet a little wider than shoulder-width apart. Turn your toes out slightly and hang your arms straight down in front of you. Lift your chest, engage your core, and keep your back straight as you bend both knees, sending your butt back and down until your fingertips touch the floor. Press your feet firmly into the ground, engage your glutes, and drive back up, pressing up onto the balls of your feet once standing straight. Continue for 45 seconds.
Repeater
Need help strengthening your hamstrings, quads, and glutes? The repeater exercise can help you achieve those goals. Begin standing up straight with your right foot in front of you, bending your knee slightly. Have your left foot back on a slight diagonal from the right foot. Lean your torso a little to the right, hinging forward at the hips to keep your back straight. Your core should be aligned over your right leg. Extend your arms overhead so that they are parallel to the ground. In a simultaneous effort, drive the left knee up and bring your hands down to touch it, engaging your core. Return your left foot back behind you and extend your arms overhead. Repeat for 20 seconds before switching sides.
Elevator Plank
This exercise works to improve shoulder, core, arm, and back strength. To do this exercise, start in a high plank position, stacking your shoulders over your wrists and legs extended behind you. Keep a straight line from your head to your feet. Tuck your pelvis in and engage your core as you lower your right elbow to the ground, followed by your left elbow to enter a forearm plank. Without rocking too much, place your right hand on the ground, followed by your left hand to press back into a high plank. Try to avoid dipping side to side by engaging your core. Repeat this motion for 45 seconds.
Lateral Lunge To Reach
In addition to strengthening the abductor and adductor muscles, the hamstrings, and glutes, this movement may also increase flexibility. Stand up straight with your feet hip-distance apart. Keeping your back straight and chest lifted, step your right leg out to the side to come into a side lunge. Sit your butt back, keeping the left leg straight and bending your right knee so that your right thigh is parallel to the ground. Reach your left arm overhead to make one line from your left foot to your left fingertips. You should feel a stretch along your left side. Hold for a second and return to the starting position by engaging your right glute and quads. Repeat for 20 seconds and then switch sides.
Front Kick To Touch Back
This is a great exercise that helps strengthen your glutes and hamstrings. Begin in a standing position with your feet hip-distance apart. Hold your fists by your cheekbones in a guard position, as if you are boxing. Kick your right leg forward, extending it straight out in front of you. Return your right leg to the starting position and then step your left foot back to enter a low lunge, touching the ground with your left hand. Continue alternating between these two movements for 20 seconds and then repeat on the other side.
Russian Twist With Punch
A great movement to incorporate into your warm-up routine, Russian twist with a punch helps to strengthen your abs, obliques, arms, and shoulders. Sit on the ground with your knees bent, planting your feet flat on the ground. Lean back so that your torso is at a 45-degree angle to the ground. You should feel your abs engaged in this position. Lift your feet off the ground and, without moving your legs, rotate your torso to the right, punching across your body with your left hand. Return to center and then rotate to the left, punching across your body with your right hand. Continue alternative for 45 seconds.
